Jobs › Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

Data Architect

Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago · Chicago, IL · $140,000–$170,000 a year · Full time

Posted Sep 18, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

Apply at Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time you led a data architecture modernization. What did you keep, change and retire?

What they are checking: Whether they can modernize carefully without breaking systems that many people rely on.

How would you work with the Application Architect so data and application designs stay aligned?

What they are checking: Partnership skills, since the posting ties this role closely to application architecture.

How do you document and communicate a target architecture so engineers actually follow it?

What they are checking: Whether their architecture work lands in practice through clear artifacts and ongoing engagement.

What would you do

Different platforms structure similar datasets differently. How would you standardize them without disrupting existing users?

What they are checking: Pragmatism in moving toward standards through mapping, versioning and migration plans.

A research team wants a quick custom data store outside the target architecture. How do you respond?

What they are checking: How they enforce architecture standards while staying helpful instead of becoming a bottleneck.

About the work

How would you design storage for billions of time-series observations where every historical revision must be kept and queryable?

What they are checking: Deep thinking about vintage data, bitemporal models and storage scale, which is the heart of FRED-style platforms.

What metadata would you require for every dataset so users can find it and trust where it came from?

What they are checking: Their approach to lineage, discoverability and governance as named in the posting.

How would you support global public access to economic data while keeping the platform secure and fast?

What they are checking: Their thinking on caching, APIs, rate limits and security for a heavily used public data service.

Where do you see AI or machine learning fitting into an economic data platform, and where would you be cautious?

What they are checking: Balanced judgment on applying AI to things like search and document processing while protecting data integrity.

How do you handle digitized archival documents alongside structured time-series data in one architecture?

What they are checking: Whether they can design for mixed content types, including unstructured text and scanned material.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

Company Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis The Data Architect will lead the design and modernization of the data architecture that powers the economic data platforms of St. Louis based Research applications such as FRED. These platforms manage massive collections of economic time-series data, historical revisions, digitized archival documents, and research publications. This role focuses on designing scalable data platforms, data models, and data governance frameworks to support long-term growth, advanced analytics, and global access to economic data. It will leverage in-depth knowledge of modern data technologies, industry frameworks, data security best practices and emerging innovations in AI/ML and data science to accelerate value, delivery and outcomes for the business. The Data Architect will partner closely with the Application Architect to ensure seamless integration between data platforms and application services. Key Responsibilities • Define and evolve the target data architecture supporting economic data systems. • Design scalable storage architectures capable of supporting billions of time-series observations and historical revisions. • Develop metadata schemas supporting dataset discoverability, lineage, and governance. • Standardize dataset structures and metadata across multiple platforms. • Implement scalable data processing frameworks capable of supporting growing dataset volumes. • Improve indexing and metadata strategies that support dataset search and discovery. • Enable advanced analytical capabilities for researchers and developers. • Partner with the Application Architect to optimize data access patterns for APIs and applications. Required Qualifications • 7-10+ years of experience in data architecture, data engineering or database design and large-scale enterprise cloud data implementations in complex, highly regulated environments. Deep understanding of modern data technology stacks, cloud data platforms (AWS preferred), and enterprise software solutions. • Demonstrated experience designing, architecting and supporting external / public-facing applications with a strong emphasis on scalability, security, availability and performance for external customer-facing platforms. Demonstrated knowledge of and leading adoption of industry best practices in the areas of DataOps and modern data stack tools, data governance, SQL and other query tools and knowledge of data privacy regulations. Industry-related certifications in one or more of the above areas are desired. Demonstrated experience in cloud data architecture skills including designing, architecting and delivering modern cloud data platforms to ingest, process, store and expose data across the enterprise. Expert knowledge of data modeling techniques and tools, data lifecycle management and integration patterns to ensure that data flows are consistent, reliable and reusable across services and solutions. • Experience with data storage technologies, partitioning strategies, caching, data access patterns, and robust security strategies enforcing privacy and regulatory requirements including designing standardized approaches for data classification, access control, encryption, retention and auditability. • Knowledge of data warehousing concepts and tools, big data technologies, machine learning and AI data requirements. • Strong recent hands-on experience with PostgreSQL, including schema design, advanced indexing strategies, partitioning, query optimization, and high-availability configurations, ideally in the context of large-scale time-series. • Outstanding communication and collaboration skills, including translating technical topics and risks into business teams. Ability to personalize communication to audience from technologists to executive leadership. • Extensive, in-depth experience implementing highly complex technology projects in a cross-functional matrix environment with demonstrated ability to drive consensus and deliver results. Examples of leading through influence and successfully resolving conflicting priorities are required. • Candidates with less experience may be considered at a lower job grade or salary. Preferred Qualifications • Experience working with time-series data platforms or analytical datasets. • Experience with distributed query engines and large-scale data processing systems. • Experience with data catalog and metadata management platforms. • Familiarity with economic datasets or research data environments. • Experience supporting public data access or research-oriented platforms. Additional Information Location(s): • The selected candidate will reside within a reasonable commuting distance, as defined by the employing Reserve Bank, and will work full-time onsite. • Locations: Boston, MA- New York, NY- Philadelphia, PA- Cleveland, OH- Richmond, VA- Atlanta, GA- Chicago, IL- St. Louis, MO- Minneapolis, MN- Kansas City, MO- Dallas, TX- San Francisco, CA • Remote Eligible: No • Current remote employees will not be guaranteed to keep their remote status with their employing bank. Salary Salary for St. Louis: $140,000 - $170,000 • The listed salary is applicable to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Final offers are determined by factors including the candidate’s qualifications, internal alignment considerations, district assignment, and geographic location. Total Rewards Bring your passion and expertise, and we'll provide the opportunities that will challenge you and propel your growth—along with a wide range of benefits and perks that support your health, wealth, and life. In addition to competitive compensation, we offer a comprehensive benefits package all brought together in a flexible work environment where you can find balance: • Medical (4 options), Prescription, Dental (3 options), and Vision Insurance with no waiting period • 401k/Thrift Plan with generous employer match • Employer-funded Pension Plan • Paid Vacation/Sick Time and Holidays • Flexible Spending Accounts and Healthcare Spending Accounts • Life Insurance and Long Term Disability Insurance • Tuition Reimbursement (undergraduate and graduate) • Parental Leave • Free onsite 24/7 Fitness Center including training classes, and locker room / shower facilities • Onsite Cafeteria and Coffee Shop • Additional Convenience Benefits, Discounts and More… At the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, we are committed to a strong and resilient economy for all. We prioritize inclusion and strive to be a workplace where all employees can thrive. Learn more about Bank's culture . The Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis is an Equal Opportunity Employer. #LI-Onsite Full Time / Part Time Full time Regular / Temporary Regular Job Exempt (Yes / No) Yes Job Category Information Technology Family Group Work Shift First (United States of America) The Federal Reserve Banks are committed to equal employment opportunity for employees and job applicants in compliance with applicable law and to an environment where employees are valued for their differences. Always verify and apply to jobs on Federal Reserve System Careers ( https://rb.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/FRS ) or through verified Federal Reserve Bank social media channels. Privacy Notice

Apply at Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago